National Profile - ICYE

3. ICYE-UK Projects3.1 Types of projects available in the UKMost of the projects in the UK involve some sort of social/care work. Our projects includeworking in schools for children or young people with learning difficulties or disabilities,helping in hostels for homeless people, or caring for a person with a disability in his/herown home. All these projects involve working directly with people in need. We may alsobe able to offer a limited number of places on other types of projects, for exampleactivity centre projects. Please refer to our separate Work Profile for more detailedinformation on the specific projects we offer.IMPORTANT!All of ICYE-UK’s projects rely on volunteers. You are not “just a visitor” and whilst thework you will do will bring added value to the project, it is important to remember youare like a member of staff. You have important responsibilities and can only take timeoff when the project agrees to you doing so. This can sometimes be very difficult as itlimits the amount of freedom you have.ICYE-UK tries to send you information on which project you will be working at before youarrive in the UK. However some projects want to interview the volunteers themselves,while others will accept volunteers by looking at volunteer applications only. It isimportant that we have an accurate idea of your level of English in order for us to placeyou in a suitable project.What type of work will I be doing?As a full-time volunteer you are expected to participate as any other member of staff.Each project requires volunteers to do certain tasks. This may be anything from cookingand housekeeping, helping in IT rooms, to organising a day out in the countryside, orhelping people with their personal care.When will I work?Volunteers usually work between 35 and 40 hours each week. Sometimes there will be ashift or rota system where some work during night or weekend work may be required.Volunteers are entitled to two days off each week. You will also be given an Annual LeaveHoliday allowance, which should equal approximately one week of holiday for every fourmonths of work, however projects may vary slightly.What if I do not like my project?ICYE-UK does expect you to stay at the same project for the whole year. In only seriouscases, where mediation from ICYE and consultation with the project has taken place andthe problem cannot be solved, it may be necessary to change project. Exchangees areonly entitled to change projects once during the year. Exchangees may not changeprojects in the first three months of their placement.7